TIHIDI: Install Sitecore 8.x

Installing Sitecore is very easy. Some of the developers prefer using the installer, some manually install it using the web root zip and some use Sitecore Instance Manger (SIM). Sitecore Instance Manger (SIM) is a great choice if you are spinning up multiple Sitecore instances on your local.

TIHIDI: Stands for This Is How I Do It. I am going to write a series of blog posts going through how I do Sitecore related work. Hope it helps you!

With a fresh install of SIM, we do not have the Sitecore root zip from dev.sitecore.net. We can either download it and place it in the SIM folder or we can do it from SIM itself.

When you click on “Install Instance” without having any Sitecore install zips, you will get an error message prompting you to download.

If you ever need to download Sitecore installs, go to “Bundled Tools” dropdown menu and select one of the download options. In my case I want to download Sitecore 8.1 Update 3, so I selected “Download Sitecore 8.x” option.

Run through the following screens until you get to the Download screen.

Here you can select the versions of Sitecore you would like to download. I am going to select the first option and click Next.

Next provide your Dev.Sitecore.net credentials and click Next. PLEASE NOTE: You need to be a certified Sitecore Developer to download the installs. As the prompt says in UPPER CASE and RED SIM will not store your password elsewhere.

SIM starts downloading the install and you get a confirmation screen. Click the Finish button.

SIM has just downloaded the Sitecore website root zip to your SIM Folder.

Next click on the Install Instance button on the SIM screen to launch the installer. Set the proper options and click Next.

In the Installing new instance screen, I usually uncheck all the options to get the purest Sitecore install.

Currently we did not add any modules so we are going to click Next.

We do not need any custom packages at this moment so we are going to click Next.

On the install preview screen click the Install button.

After a few moments SIM will install your instance with the options selected.

On the confirmation screen, I usually select the “Open in Browser” and “Open in Browser (Sitecore Client; Log in as Admin)” options to validate the install. Click the Finish button.

Done!

Here is your new Sitecore instance.

SIM saves a lot of time creating new Sitecore instances.

If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with me. (@akshaysura13 on twitter or on Slack).

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This is a personal blog. Any views or opinions represented in this blog are my own and do not represent those of people, institutions or organizations that the I may or may not be associated with in professional or personal capacity including past, current and future employers, unless explicitly stated.